Well pump



W. J. SUTTON July 27, 1954 WELL PUMP 4 Sheets-#Sheet 2 Filed March 3, 1952 WfJ. SU'I'I'ON July 27,l 1954 WELL PUMP 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 5, 1952 INVENToR.

BY i i l ATTORNEYJ July 2% 1954 w. J" sUTroN 2,684,639

WELL PUMP Filed March 3, 1952 4 SheeS-Shee 4 VV//ham Ui. Saffo/7 ZNVEY'TOR. VM 744ML, 3;@ E, M# ff Moa .ATTOHNEYJ Patented July 27, 1954 WELL PUMP William J. Sutton, Monahans, Tex., assignor to Wilson Supply Company, Houston, Tex., a co1'- poration of Texas Application March 3, 1952, Serial No. 274,608

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in well pumps. This application is filed as an improvement upon the Well pump disclosed in my co-pending application, Serial No. 208,381, filed January 29, 1951.

As pointed out in said co-pending application, the conventional single stroke well pump has definite limitations as to stroke length and pumping speed which results in limiting the volume of fluid which can be displaced from the well. The construction shown in my co-pending application provides a double plunger and cylinder arrangement which produces advantages over the usual single stroke pump; however, the use of two cylinders does increase the cost of the unit.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide a well pump having all of the advantages 8 Claims. (Cl. 10S-181) of the pump shown in my co-pending application and in addition having the advantage of requiring only a single cylinder, as compared to the dual cylinder illustrated in such application.

A particular object of this invention is to provide a well pump having a double plunger wherein the lower plunger operates within the cylinder or lower working barrel, with the upper plunger reciprocating within a working barrel in the well tubing string, whereby the construction is simplified.

Another object of this invention is to provide a subsurface pump having a pump chamber and a booster chamber, wherein the pump chamber and booster chamber are both filled upon the upstroke of the pump plungers, and wherein fluid is pumped upwardly above the pump from the booster chamber upon the downstroke of the plungers.

Another object of this invention is to provide a well pump having an inner working barrel and double pump plunger, together with means for securing the pump in position by a releasable latch means; said pump also having means on the plunger for actuating the latch means to effect insertion and removal of the pump from the tubing string.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafter described together with other features thereof.

The invention will be more readily understood from a reading of the following specification and by reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of the pump of this invention as it is being inserted into the tubing,

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic View of the pump of this invention, illustrating the relationship of the parts and the fluid flow upon the upstroke of the pump,

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of the pump of this invention, illustrating the relationship of the parts and the fluid flow upon the downstroke of the pump,

Figures 4, 4A and 4B together are a longitudinal sectional View illustrating one embodiment of the pump of this invention, Figure 4 illustrating the upper portion thereof, Figure 4A illustrating the central portion thereof, and Figure 4B illustrating the lower portion thereof,

Figures 5, 5A and 5B together are a longitudinal sectional view of another embodiment of the pump of this invention, Figure 5 illustrating in part the upper portion thereof, Figure 5A illusrating the central portion thereof, and Figure 5B illustrating the lower portion thereof, and

Figure 6 is an exploded view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of the coupling members of the releaseable anchor of this invention.

In the drawings the numeral I (l designates a tubing which extends longitudinally from the earth surface downwardly into the well bore. VA pump P which comprises the present invention is adapted to be positioned` with the tubing string nearer its lower portion and said pump is secured in operating position by the engagement of a threaded collar I I located at the lower end of the pump P within a threaded sleeve I2 connected in said tubing string. The collar II and the sleeve I2 together form an anchor means for the pump P, and such anchor means will be hereinafter described in detail. v y

The pump P includes an upper plunger I 4 and a lower plunger I5, the upper plunger I 4 being of considerably larger diameter than the lower plunger I5. During operation the upper plunger I4 reciprocates within an upper working barrel IIlc which is of the same nominal size as the tubing; actually, a nominal size working barrel is slightly less in bore diameter than the same nominal size tubing so that the bore of the upper working barrel is less than the bore of the tubing; however, from a practical standpoint, the upper Working barrel forms a part of the tubing string. The lower plunger I5 reciprocates within a cylindrical lower working barrel I'I positioned below the upper plunger I4, this barrel I1 being of considerably reduced diameter as compared with` the tubing I0. Since the upper plunger I 4 operates within a barrel forming part of the tubing string and of substantially the same diameter,

supported by and operated by the usual pump rod` I8 connected to the upper plunger I4. Above the upper plunger I@ is a check valve I which is adapted to close the opening 2liv in the plunger Ill. As can be seen, the plunger II is of substantially the same diameter as the bore Ia of the tubing I0, and it normally operates within the upper working barrel IIIc of the tubing string. It will be appreciated, of course, that the working barrel IEIc may form part of the tubing string Il) if desired.

The upper plunger I4 is connected to the lower plunger I5 through a tube 22 of reduced diameter as compared to the pump 'plunger Ill. The

tube 22 extends within the working barrel I1 for the lower plunger I5. Near the upper end of the cylindrical barrel I1, packers 23 and 24 are employed to thereby separate the chamber A in which the upper plunger Ir-I operates from the chamber B in which the lower plunger I5 operates. It will be appreciated that the packers 23 and 24 could be consolidated to one single packing or a large number of smaller packings if desired.

The lower plunger I5 includes a plurality of flexible members 25 mounted on a sleeve 23. These exible members 25 engage the inner bore I1a. of the working barrel I1 in the reciprocation of the lower plunger I5 therein. Below the plunger I5 is a check valve 21 seated upon an opening Z8 in the lower portion of the plunger I5. When the check valve 21 is opened. the fluid is permitted to pass upwardly through the opening 28 into the bore 22a of the tube 22, with some of the fluid passing outwardly through the passages 29 in the tube 22. The ow of fluid during the pumping operation will be described more in detail hereinafter. At the lower end of the sleeve or working barrel I1 is a check valve 3I which is seated over an opening 32. When the check valve 3| is open uid may pass upwardly through the passages 33 into the chamber C below the plunger I5, with some of the iiuid passing through the openings 3ft into the chamber A, the ow of'iiuid being described more in detail hereinafter.

The releaseable anchor means at the lower end oi' the pump P includes the collar II and the sleeve I2, the collar II having teeth Ii thereon and the collar I2 having mating teeth IZ thereon. As can be seen particularly in Figure 6, the threads I Iaand I2a. are left hand threads. Longitudinal slots 36 are provided in the collar I I to provide for iiexing of the collar II so that in the insertion of the pump P into the tubing I@ the collar I I may simply be speared or forced downwardly into the sleeve I2, whereby the teeth IIa and I2a engage. It will be observed in Figures 4 and 4A that there is positioned below the plunger III a threaded sleeve 31 which is engage- H able with a threaded box 33 on the upper portion of the cylinder I1. rlhe threaded sleeve 31 and the threaded box 38 together form a latohing means and the threads are preferably right hand threads. In any event, the threads on the latching means should have an opposite handedness to the threads on the releaseable anchor means at the lower portion of the pump P. Thus, in the insertion of the pump P into the tubing I0 the sleeve 31 and the box 38 are joined or threaded into each other, whereby the barrel I1 is held in fixed relationship to the upper plunger It. As the pump P is lowered into the tubing I0 on the pump rods I8, the parts are in the relationship as shown particularly in Figure 1. The movement of the pump P-is continued downwardly to seat the pump and the collar I I is set straight down into the seating sleeve I2. After the anchor means II, I2, is secured so that the pump P is secured in the tubing I0, the pump rods I8 are rotated to the left to disengage the latch means 31, 38, by rotating the sleeve 31 out of the box 38. Since the threads on the anchor means are left hand threads they will not disengage upon the rotation to the left, whereas the threads on the latch means will disengage since they are right hand threads. It will be appreciated that these threads on the latch means and the anchor means may have their pitch reversed if desired and still the same result can be accomplished. This rotation of the pump rods I8 to the left separates the pump plunger I4 from the barrel I1 and the pump P is then in position for its normal pumping operation in the well. When it is desired to remove the pump P from the tubing IE), the latch means 31, 3B, are reassembled by rotation of the pump rods I8 to the right until the threads 31 are completely seated in the box 36. Continued rotation to the right then unthreads the threads IIa from the threads I2a since these are lefthanded threads, and it is thereby possible to completely unthread the collar II from the sleeve I2 for removal of the pump assembly P.

The operation of thepump P with the collar I I engaged with the sleeve I2 and the threads 31 released from the box 38 can be seen in Figures 2 and 3. In Figure 2 the relationship of the parts and the iiow of the iiuid are illustrated when the plungers I4 and I5 are on the upstroke. On such upstroke the well fluid enters from the well bore passing the check valve 3 I, and filling the chambers A and C. Assuming that the chamber B and the tube 22 and chamber D of the plunger I4 had previously been filled with uid, the upstroke of the pump would force such iiuid in the chamber B upwardly so that the portion of the fluid is delivered above the check valve I9 into the tubing space E above the pump.

rIhe downstroke of the pump is illustrated in Figure 3. On such downstroke the plunger III forces the fluid in the chamber A into the chamber C. The check valve 21 is forced open whereby the uid from the chamber A passing into the chamber C may thence pass upwardly into the chamber B to ll same. Since the tube 22 had previously been filled with fluid, that fluid is forced upwardly into the chamber D and above the valve I9 into the space E. It can therefore be seen that on both the upstroke and the downstroke well fluid is pumped upwardly above the pump into the tubing space E.

In Figures 5, 5A and 5B, a modified form of the pump of this invention is illustrated. In this form the tubing Il! is shown as composed of several sections and it may have a section IIlc of reduced diameter connected to the other section through a collar I Eb. The section Ic of reduced diameter may be the portion inY which the plunger IIII operates. It will be appreciated, of

course, that the section Illc may be of the same diameter as the rest of the tubing if desired. In the modifications of Figures 5, A and 5B, the various parts are substantially the same as illustrated in Figures 4, 4A and 4B. It will be observed that the box |38 is positioned on the tube |22 and the threaded sleeve |31 is positioned on the working barrel Thus, the box and the sleeve of the latching means are reversed as compared to the modification shown in Figures 4, 4A and 4B, but it will be appreciated that either form of the latching means may be used in either of these modifications. Between the barrel H1 and tube |22 is a metal-to-metal packing |23 which serves to define the upper end of the chamber B. The lower plunger ||5 is of somewhat different construction that the modification shown in Figures 4, 4A and 4B, since the plunger ||5 is a metal plunger, whereas the plunger l5 was of a flexible construction having the flexible elements 25. Also, since the plunger H5 is constructed of metal, it is desirable to have an alignment coupling I3 to obtain proper.A

axial alignment of the plunger |5 in the working barrel Il. rihis alignment coupling includes an overhanging collar H311 and a shoulder ||3b which is engaged by the overhanging collar |3a. Above the alignment collar ||3lare openings |29, which are similar to the openings 29 in the mcdication of Figures 4, 4A and 4B. Flexible elements |30 are mounted on the tube |22 and serve to contact the flexible members I3| at the vtop of the travel of the elements |30. At the lower portion of the plunger H5 is the check valve |21 mounted over the opening |28.

At the lower end of the cylindrical barrel is the check valve 3| seated over the opening |32, with the inlet passages |34 and |33 thereabove. At the lower end of the pump P is the collar secured in the sleeve l 2 by the threads constructed in the same manner as the collar and the sleeve i2 of Figures 4, 4A and 4B.

The operation of the modiiication of Figures 5, 5A and 5B is identical with the operation of the modification shown in Figures 4, 4A and 4B, which operation has been described above and is illustrated in particular in Figures 1 to 3.

With respect to the pressures acting on the plungers i4 and I5 (or I4 and H5 in the modication) these pressures are unbalanced during the upstroke. Because of the lifting of fluids in the tubing during the upstroke the pressure acting on the upper surface of plunger I4 and that acting on the upper surface of plunger |5 is relatively high due to the load; however, the pressures acting on the lower surfaces of the plungers is relatively low since fluid is being drawn in through standing valve 3|. However upon the downstroke the valve 21 is unseated and when this occurs the areas above and below the plungers are all placed in communication with each other so that equalization of pressures across both plungers during the downstroke is effected. This prevents placing the pump rods under compression and makes possible the efficient displacement of an increased volume of fluid. The many advantages of the equalization of plungers on the downstroke is set forth in my co-pending application heretofore referred to.

The foregoing disclosure and description of the invention is illustrative and explanatory thereof and various changes in the size, shape and materials, as well as in the details of the illustrated construction may be made, within the scope of ing and having a diameter substantially equal' to the tubing diameter, a lower working `barrel of lesser diameter than the upper barrel and disposed axially within the tubing below the upper barrel, the lower end of the lower working barrel having a valve-fluid inlet, an upper tubular plunger reciprocable in the upper barrel and having the upper end of its bore in communication with the area above the plunger, a lower tubular plunger reciprooable within the lower barrel, a tubular connectingv element connecting the plungers and establishing communication between the bores of said plungers, means establishing communication between the lower end of the connecting element and the area above the lower plunger, packing means in the upper portion of the lower working barrel sealing around the exterior of the connecting element, a downwardly closing valve in the lower portion of the lower plunger, operating means extending from the surface of the well for reciprocating the plungers relative to their respective barrels, and means for establishing communication between the lower surfaces of both plungers whereby when the valve in the lower portion of the lower plunger is open pressure communication may occur through the tubular plungers and tubular connecting element to the areas above and below said plungers so that pressures across said plungers are equalized during downward movement of the plungers relative to their respective barrels.

2. A sub-surface pump as set forth in claim 1, together with a detachable connection between the connecting element and the upper end of the lower working barrel, whereby the upper plunger, lower plunger and lower barrel may be lowered into the tubing as a unit after which the element may be detached from said lower barrel to permit reciprocating of the lower plunger within said lower barrel.

3. A sub-surface pump as set forth in claim 1, together with a downwardly closing valve in the upper end of the upper plunger.

4. A sub-surface pump as set forth in claim 1, together with a releasable anchor secured to the lower end of the lower working barrel for releasably securing said inner working barrel in position within the tubing.

5. A sub-surface pump for pumping well iiuids upwardly within a well tubing and including, an upper working barrel connected in the well tubing and having a diameter substantially equal to the tubing diameter, an upper plunger reciprocable within said upper barrel and comprising an elongate cylindrical member which provides a fluid chamber therein, a downwardly closing valve in the upper end of the plunger controlling now to and from the chamber, a lower working barrel of lesser diameter than the upper barrel and disposed in the well tubing below the upper plunger, said lower barrel having a well fluid inlet in its lower end, a downwardly closing valve controlling flow through the inlet, a lower tubular plunger reciprocable within the lower working barrel, a downwardly closing valve in the lower end of the bore of the lower plunger, a tubular element physically connecting the upper and lower plungers and establishing communication between the bore of the lower plunger and the chamber of the upper plunger, and packing means in the upper end of the lower barrel and sealing around the tubular connecting element, said connecting element having an opening which establishes communication between the bore of said element and the interior of the lower working barrel above the lower plunger, the lower end of the lower working barrel having an opening disposed between the well fluid inlet and the lower end of the lower plunger for establishing communication between the interior of the lower working barrel and the area outside said` working barrel.

6. A sub-surface pump as set forth in claim 5, together with a releasable anchor secured to the lower end of the lower working barrel for releasably securing said inner working barrel in position within the tubing.

7. A sub-surface pump for pumping well uids upwardly within a well tubing and including, an upper working barrel connected to the well tubing and having a diameter substantially equal to the tubing diameter, a lower working barrel of lesser diameter than the upper barrel disposed axially therebelow, an upper plunger reciprocable within the upper working barrel, a lower plunger reciprocable within the lower working barrel, a connecting element having a flow passage therethrough connecting the upper and lower plungers whereby said plungers reciprocate 8 simultaneously within their respective barrels, packing means within the upper end of the lower barrel for sealing on" around the connecting element, the lower end of the lower working barrel having a valved fluid inlet, means located between the valved inlet and the lower plunger for establishing communication between the lower end of the interior of the lower working barrel and the area exteriorly thereof, a downwardly closing valve in the lower end of the lower plunger, and means for establishing communication between the passage of the connecting element and the interior of the lower Working barrel above the lower plunger.

8. A sub-surface pump as set forth in claim '7, together with a detachable connection between the connecting element and the upper end of the lower working barrel, whereby the upper plunger, lower plunger and lower barrel may be lowered into the tubing as a unit after which the element may be detached from the lower barrel to permit reciprocating of the lower plunger within the lower barrel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,877,112 Yerkes Sept. 13, 1932 2,160,811 Adams June 6, 1939 2,166,612 Scott July 18, 1989 2,262,128 Zehner Nov. 1l, 1941 

